111RS SPYDER BUILD: PART 5

The body is getting fitted and we are getting closer to the finish line. We have made some tweaks to the factory bodywork to make this car really unique and special. Though it started life as an Exige S240, we are converting the rear to an Elise clam. This allows us to reduce weight and improve rearward vision.

We have fiberglass repair capability so the Spyder is a good platform for us to show the extent of our abilities.

Repairing a door

The original door was annihilated so a replacement was required. We found a damaged door that we repaired and fit. We will likely shave off the mount for the side view mirrors as we have a couple of ideas that we may choose to try out. The glass will be removed from the doors so we will likely cap the top of the door as well.

New rocker panel is fitted

The driver side suffered a fair amount of rock panel damage. We chose to order a new one from Lotus and removed the old one. The new one fits with some work. Once that was in place we started bolting on the other panels and the Spyder began taking shape.

Elise clam with Longtail and modified flares.

We first grafted on a set of ReVerie rear flares. I was not really happy with how bulky they look at the back. I opted to have them cut short to reduce the overall size at the bottom - while exposing more of the back of the tire. I think this will look great and add some visual interest. The portion of the flare that attaches to the rocker still needs to be bonded in the above image.

The rear wing was extended in an effort to create the longtail. Though I originally considered making a ducktail, this new longtail became more appealing as I spent time considering both. We were able to steal the stock rear wing off a damaged rear clam and bonded it onto this clam. Many hours of careful sculpting were required to get it to look right. My restoration specialist, Jesus, is an artist with a good eye. We collaborate very well and I am very happy with the final result. A few clients who have seen it agree.

Race Exige front clam fitted with Exige front fenders

The front Exige Race clam was installed. This clam has been used by many Lotus Cup racers. It is lighter and cheaper than a stock clam. We included the Exige front fenders as well. We plan to shave the side markers and relocate them. Fitting front lights to the car is one of the fun challenges we are currently wrestling with.

The above shot also shows the rear flares. I am happy with how these have turned out. The flares reduce air from hitting the front of the tire yet allow air to flush out the back without much restriction. The ETHOS 17x9 wheel will be fitted to the rear, so we will add slightly wider rubber as well. This should be nicely proportioned with a proper Coke-bottled shape.

111RS SPYDER BUILD: PART 4

A Spyder is an open car with a cut-down windshield. This seems like a vulnerable configuration for some and for others absolutely thrilling. Naturally, we are in the latter camp but I am not willing to throw all safety considerations to the wind (pun intended). The Exige comes with a factory roll hoop that is a nice safety solution though when you see it raw, it is not too attractive. I wanted to update this car with a roll hoop that was also stylish.

We have a local supplier of fabricated parts that is an excellent cage builder. We brought our Spyder over and gave them our requirements. The car came back with a solution that I am very happy with. The only real requirement I gave them was to ensure that the stock Elise clam would fit over it - minus the roll hoop cover - which we intend to leave off.

The stock intercooler will get ditched for a special ProAlloy kit…

The height is slightly higher than stock for a wee bit better protection. We had a harness bar incorporated into the hoop so we can add a set of race harnesses. The tubes cross over and follow down at an angle to the base where it bolts into the stock mounting location. One challenge of installing a steel cage into an aluminum chassis is attaching it. In this case, we simply used the factory threaded inserts. We are also triangulating it to the rear subframe mount - though those two tubes will be hidden under the modified Elise clam.

ABS module is off for a PM rebuild. Did you notice that?

I’m really happy with how it looks. The twin hoops add some flavor and admittedly, extra weight. But we are stripping enough away from other areas that this is an acceptable place to bulk up…